Therapists serving clients in Thompsons, TX

HELLO! My name is Juan Ortiz and I am a licensed professional counselor. As we all know too well, life can be completely unpredictable! I say control the controllables and by that I mean your well-being and mental health. At times you just want to be heard and that is exactly what I provide. I am along for the ride, but keep in mind you are in the driver's seat and ultimately only you can pick your final destination. I truly believe in the power of the 'here and now' and believe that you can consciously make efforts to reach happiness, whatever that happiness may look like for you. I have been a counselor for a little over 3 years now. My experience varies from community mental health agencies, psychiatric hospitals, and private practice working with families, couples, and adults. I have worked with individuals experiencing: depression, anxiety, stress management, trauma, relationship issues, and gender identity. I meet you where you are in your life at present time. Together, we identify what you want to change in your life and work on your conscious mind to condition new positive, capable thoughts followed by purposeful decisions to achieve the change you desire. My therapeutic style and approach are influenced by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Reality Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness. My promise: to hear you, take your needs into account, and navigate with you through this thing we call life! My strength lies in helping you find your voice when you are at that pivotal point and are ready for a breakthrough. You deserve to live life on your terms!

Hello! My name is Carri Wilson. I am a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas. I have 24 years of counseling experience working in varying areas of the mental health field. I started my experience working with mainly women’s issues including domestic abuse and self-esteem issues. I especially enjoyed working with women of all ages dealing with relationship issues and conflict of role expectations in the family. This has recently evolved into counseling a generation of women that are now caring for their elderly parents and dealing with the challenges of Dementia and Alzheimer’s while trying to balance a personal life. Only just this year these issues became a personal challenge for me. Now more than ever I believe counseling support is imperative for the caregivers experiencing such stress. I worked for almost 20 years in the field of education counseling children and parents alike on issues such as emotional disturbances, autism, ADHD, abandonment, effects of divorce, academic issues, behavior issues, cultural differences, drug abuse and special education concerns. Acting as an administrator for IEP’s and 504 accommodations allowed me the opportunity to advise parents regarding behavioral techniques and modifications needed to address a variety of emotional, physical and social needs of children. I have a soft spot in my heart for kids and truly believe parents should be supported as much as possible in the rearing of their offspring. With the transit nature of our society young parents often do not have the support available and need an encouraging professional to give guidance and direction. Because of my experience, I am a great resource in the face of these types of challenges. For the last 15 years I have conducted family evaluations for families going through contentious custody issues, adoptions and guardianships. This experience in forensic counseling afforded me the opportunity to delve into the lives of families experiencing a myriad of problems. Working with the family courts and family agencies in the community gave me a wide variety of perspectives and options for problem solving. I use a variety of techniques, using what I feel will works best with clients but usually lean toward a cognitive behavioral approach and person-centered style. That means I will be working with your thoughts, feelings and behaviors while making your best welfare my priority. It is important to me to form a genuine bond of trust with each client to ensure an honest relationship. My style of counseling will be encouraging, warm and supportive. I truly believe that I can help with setting goals, changing behaviors, and using tools to make better decisions for you. I like to empower my clients to find ways to help themselves. If you need a sincere person to work with, I am happy to help!

Hello! I am a licensed clinical social worker with over 12 years of experience working with all ages of adults in a clinical setting. I have a Master of Social Work from the University of Texas- Arlington from 2011, and obtained my clinical license in 2015. My undergraduate degree is a BS in Nursing from the University of Texas- Austin which was my first career. Those nursing experiences have been beneficial to help practice in a more holistic way, appreciating how the body and mind interact together. My clinical experience is primarily helping people with depression and anxiety, along with trauma, shame, grief and loss and problems with self-esteem. I also work with clients to learn how to manage stressors and conflict in healthy ways. Oftentimes, the transitions and changes life brings to us can lead to dissatisfaction or feeling stuck. It's at these times we can learn new ways of thinking and coping skills that can allow personal growth that leaves us stronger than we were before. It can be helpful to have an objective and non judgemental therapist alongside you to validate and understand your experiences and perceptions. I believe each person has a unique story to share and we are all richer for hearing it. I utilize cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavioral, solution focused and other therapies in working with clients, to create a dynamic partnership together. As a social worker, my focus is on your own unique strengths, with the goal of empowering you to overcome your obstacles. My counseling style is focused, yet warm and accepting. I look forward to working with you towards a more satisfying and meaningful life.

Laura Sparkman is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Education with a Minor in Spanish in 2005. She later earned a Master of Counseling from Southern Methodist University in 2012. Laura has spent the last 18 years working across the medical, educational, and non-profit sectors with all demographics. She has served various roles as a teacher, learning specialist, guidance counselor and administrative / faculty adviser in both private and public schools in the greater Dallas area. Just as a diabetic requires insulin and a person with vision impairment needs glasses, sometimes we benefit from emotional support to boost optimal brain health and function. Counseling is a safe, collaborative opportunity for you to take personal, self-care time assessing, processing and redefining your life. Learn to build skills to improve communication, social relationships, goal setting, decision making, time management, organization, work / life balance, self-esteem and any other issues preventing you from being the most authentic, successful, fulfilled version of yourself. Laura’s passion and specialty is working with the learning different population who often struggle with co-morbid social-emotional challenges. As a hybrid professional, she blends the worlds of education & therapy offering her clients a myriad of practical strategies and tools. Additionally, Laura enjoys empowering parents & the larger family system to foster healing, strength, perseverance, and optimism through challenging times. She encourages her clients on their journey to better manage stress, anxiety, and depression. She uses a combination of therapy orientations tailored to the individual including Cognitive Behavioral, Solution Focused and Family Systems Therapy to instill hope by reframing maladaptive, distorted thought patterns and foster positive coping skills. Laura supports adults going through a wide variety of struggles and transitions. Life is a roller coaster with many unexpected ups and downs. While we can’t control our environment, we can control our actions and behaviors. We can learn healthier coping skills to deal with problems. An overwhelming mountain may become a more manageable mole hill. Laura provides a safe, non-judgmental space for you to be your true, authentic, vulnerable self. It can be difficult to focus on yourself when you have a lot of other responsibilities and roles. It’s important to take the time to get your own needs met, so that you can be calm, clear, present and intentional each day. Everyone deserves to have proper balance between their personal and work life. During the course of therapy, Laura will create a climate of acceptance and understanding so that you may feel free to share all of your experiences, perceptions, and emotions. Confronting distorted and denied patterns through a close therapeutic relationship allows many people to develop healthier ways of coping with life. Your brain will begin to re-wire itself and move towards optimal neural integration. This will allow for improved emotional regulation, mood enhancement and the ability to buffer daily stress. You will no longer be stuck or held back. Laura's job is to hold a mirror up and help remove the walls and obstacles so that you can become more attuned to your inner voice guiding you to whom you are meant to be.

As a teenager, I struggled academically and socially at school to fit in with my peers. I had a hard time with my studies. Not knowing that I have dyslexia caused me much grief. My mom and dad chalked my bad grades and attitude up to just being a teenager, but it was more than that. I was struggling with anxiety and self doubt. This lead me into abusive relationships and a eating disorder. After I had worked through my issues, I decided I wanted to help people find their purpose in life. I have worked for the past 8 years as a professional counselor for children and adults. The children I work with everyday, are not only at risk of not succeeding in school, but also in danger of a lifetime of struggling with mental health issues. I have worked with children and teenagers in and out of the Juvenile systems as well as alternative schools. I have also worked with people that have struggled with anxiety and confusion over their sexual orientation. They struggle with how or if or when to tell the world and their friends and family about their life style. My job is to help you find yourself, and to speak for yourself in a more positive and productive way. Having worked as a grief counselor for Hospice has also allowed me to understand grief and loss. I would love to help you through your journey. My theory of counseling follows a client center approach and I believe cognitive behavior therapy is the most effective way to meet your needs. If you need an open-minded, understanding counselor, please feel free to contact me to be that person. I look forward to hearing from you. My favorite quote that I live by is "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." – Mark Twain.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Texas and have been in the field for 10+ years. I have never failed to be fascinated with people, with their stories, and with their ability to overcome their circumstances and find the peace they desire. I was an art teacher in high school for many years. That opportunity presented me with experience in learning about the heart of a young person. I worked in several churches as a mentor and learned the need for skills people lacked in order to overcome their past and move forward into a healthy life. As a counselor, I saw the amazing struggles that people are grappling with as they tried to tackle each day. I believe that a counselor can be the helper who will walk along side of a person on their journey to healing. I completed my Masters in counseling at the Houston Graduate School of Theology, then went on to Texas A&M Corpus Christi to complete a Ph.D. I have also extended my studies to include many techniques for working with trauma/PTSD, personality disorders, grief, disassociation, depression, OCD, transition issues, and anxiety. I have been involved with many survivors of childhood abuse, those struggling with life issues in their relationships, their workplace, and in society in general. Fear, anger, and frustration are often crippling to a healthy, productive life. I like to work with people in a person centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, and in dialectic behavioral therapy. These therapies all offer a gentle and caring approach. They will allow you to be open in a safe environment and the ability to explore what will best work for you, the individual. I consider the people I’ve talked with and walked with in this journey of life to be among the strongest people on earth. They are willing to step out of their problems and seek a better, healthier life. It’s hard work, but it is worth it.

I am licensed in Texas with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, & parenting issues. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

As a licensed professional counselor, I am licensed in the State of Texas with five years of professional work experience. I hold a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling, and I am currently in the process of completing my doctorate in counselor education and supervision. I also hold a Master's of Divinity and serve as the senior minister to a non-denominational church with an openness to interfaith and interspirituality. I have over 25 years of ministerial experience, offering spiritual direction and pastoral counseling in various locations around the world. I am quite comfortable navigating the secular as well as the spiritual at the request and needs of my clients. I primarily work with everyday issues such as stress and anxiety, relationship issues, motivation, self-esteem, and confidence/coping with life changes. However, I have also experience working with individuals with neurological differences, including autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, and many other mental health disorders. I primarily work from an existential-humanistic perspective, which focuses on the individual's meaning-making in life as well as the potential they strive toward while overcoming the challenges that may present themselves. I also believe that you are the expert of your story and have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Moreover, I integrate with narrative theory, which looks at your life's story and see how you relate to the challenges that may concern you at present. Additionally, I often implement feminist theories, which view our challenges through the perspective of oppression and privilege depending on the many cultural variables (e.g., race, gender, LGBTQIA+, etc.) that make up the beautiful being we are. Finally, I am learning to include the concepts and ideas of internal family systems (IFS) in my counseling practice as a way to combine many of my approaches in a respectful and curious way. However, regardless of my foundational and integrated approaches, I carefully apply modalities that have shown to be effective when working with specific concerns (e.g., cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, etc.). Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage, and I honor your commitment to doing so. Let us get to know each other and see whether we are a good fit. My role is not that of an advisor, telling you what to do, but that of a companion who happens to walk with you, pointing out what may be relevant, as you explore your own path back to your natural state wellbeing.

I am licensed in Texas with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & depression. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

I strive to build an inclusive, affirmative practice. As a highly-sensitive person myself, I understand an overwhelming environment with rigid expectations is not helpful. I always encourage my clients to tell me what is most beneficial for them. My space is always respectful, open for dialogue, and above all, committed to your safety and wellbeing. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, & intimacy related issues. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.